RR vs MI, IPL 2024: You have to have a big heart while bowling at the death, says Sandeep

The 30-year-old pacer, returning after a month-long injury layoff, claimed his career-best IPL figures of 5/18 in Rajasthan Royals’ nine-wicket win over Mumbai Indians.

RR’s Sandeep Sharma, during the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL) cricket match against Mumbai Indians | Photo Credit: The Hindu /Murali Kumar K

Coming back from an injury as a bowler is always a tough proposition, especially in the shortest format where batters take full toll of the slightest slip-up. Rajasthan Royals’ Sandeep Sharma though was able to get back to his best after a month-long injury layoff, claiming his career-best figures during the win against the Mumbai Indians here on Monday.

“I was working hard towards my fitness for the last three weeks. I had two practice sessions before the game, my main focus was to execute the variations that I did tonight,” Sandeep said after his match-winning five-wicket haul.

Sandeep, who started as a new-ball exponent in the IPL has had to take up a slightly unfamiliar role at the death since the start of this edition. “Even today you ask me where I feel comfortable, I’ll say it’s with the new ball. With the old ball, you have to adapt and evolve as a bowler,” the right arm pacer said.

“In this year’s IPL, batters are going big and with the impact player rule, there is an extra batter so the games are high-scoring. You have to have a big heart while bowling at the death and try to execute your plans and bowl good balls,” he added.

The 30-year-old picked up three wickets in the final over, restricting Mumbai Indians to 179 despite a 99-run stand between Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera. 

“If you’re bowling at the death, it can go both ways. Sometimes, you go for runs, and when you’re lucky enough you end up getting a wicket. When we started the wicket was low and slow. My plan was to keep bowling those cutters and it came off nicely tonight,” he said.

The Royals solidified its position at the top of the standings with the win, while Mumbai finds itself in a spot of bother. 

“We need to win all the games from now on so we need to tighten up our socks,” Wadhera conceded after the game, but with a stroke of hope. 

“We have been in such a situation in earlier seasons as well and we have upped our game and qualified, so we’re optimistic even now. We will just continue the process we are following and win the games for the team.”